Internal-combustion engine



A. H. FOX

Oct. 6 1925 INTERNAL COMBUKSTION ENGINE Filed eb. 1. 1922 Patented oa, s, 1925. i l UNI-TED STATES PATENT o'FFlca ANSLEY H. FOX, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESN ASSIGN MENTS, TO FOX HOLDING COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- POBATION 0F DELAWARE.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application led February 1, 1922. Serial No. 533,419.

To all lwilma it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANSLEY H Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, land State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Internal- Combust-ion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to means for lubricating the Contact surfaces of the joints through which the push rods engage and operate the rocker arms which operate the valves of internal combustion engines. The improvements of my invention are characterized by the provision of push rods with means for holding a lubricant and delivering it to the parts to be lubricated, simply and Without waste, so as to insure constant and efficient lubrication, with avoidance of wear, noise and fouling the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a 'part sectional elevation of elementsof an internal combustion engine embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of a detached push rod comprised in my improvements, and Fig.- 3 shows the construction with means for the capillary feeding of thev lubricant.

The improvements, as illustrated in the drawings, are applied to an internal combustion engine having the cylinder 1 with a port 2 controlled by a valve 3 Whose stem 4 is moved downwardly through its bearin 5 to open the valve, against the action o a spring 6 by which the valve is closed.

A rocker arm or lever 7, fulcrumed in the bearing 8, acts against the top of thevstem to open the valve, against the action of the spring, in a well known manner.

The roc-ker arm 7 is operated to de ress the valvestem 4 against the action o the spring 6, by a screw or bolt 9 set in the arm and a push rod 10 connected therewith, the screw having on the lower end thereof the ball 11 and the push rod having on the upper end thereof the bearing 12 containing the hemi-spherical socket 13 in which the ball is seated.

The rod' 10 has at its lower end the shank 14 which is movable inthe bearing 15 carried by the casing 16, the shank riding on a cam 17 carried by a revoluble shaft 18.

The body of the rod 10 is of tubular construction, providing n chamber 19, closed at its bottom by a lug 2O and adapted for holding a lubricant. The chamber 19 is connected through the passage 21 having the outlet 22 in the caring 12 at the side ot' the socketl, with the contacting surfaces of thc joint formed by the ball 11 and the socket 13.

The chamber 19 is provided near its top with the opening 23 through the tubular body of the rod 10 for the introduction of a lubricant, this opening being covered by a differential sleeve 24 having its lower cylindrical section of smaller diameter telescoped on the body of the rod and its upper cylindrical section of larger diameter telescoped on the lower part of the bearing 12 within which the tube is set, the sleeve being mov able downwardly-on the rod to uncover the opening 23 and being elevated to cover the same. v

A circular peri heral channel 25, formed in the body of t e rod 10, is adapted for engaging the inwardly projecting bead 26 formed at the lower end of the sleeve, to hold the latter in its elevated position and thereby cover the aperture 23. v

Slots 27 formed. longitudinally in the lower end of the sleeve permits the expansion of the latter and the consequent withdrawal of thebead 26 from the channel 25 to lower the sleeve and uncover the opening 23, for introducing the lubricant.

A wick 28 may, if desired, be placed in the passage 21 so as to extend into the oil in the chamber 19 and wipe the ballV 11 to which it will feed the oil by capillary action.

In operation, the reciprocation of the rod 10, by the action of gravity su plemented by the action of the sprin v intermediate parts and b t e action of the cam 17 operated by the s aft 18, will splash oil from the chamber 19 through the Open passa 21 or otherwise to the wick therein,

vwhere y the surfaces of the joint formed b the ball 11 and the socket 13 will be lubr1- cated, the ball acting as a valve to prevent the undue escape and the loss of oil.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with valve operating means, of a rod containing a lubricant chamber having a liquid tight bottom closure, a joint connecting said rod with said means, and a 6 t rough the passage adapted for carryin the lubricant from the chamber of said ro to the bearing surfaces of said joint.

2. In an internal combustion en ine, the combination with a rocker arm, o? a. push rod provided with a chamber adapted for holding a lubricant, a joint connecting said push rod with said arm, a passa e of smaller cross-sectional area than sald chamber adapted for carrying a lubricant from said chamber to the surfaces of said joint., and `means for reciprocating said rod.

3. In an internal combustion en ine, the

combination with a rocker arm, ot a push .rod engaging said rocker arm and containing a lubricant chamber and a feed passage therefor, and a movable closure for said passage, said chamber discharging to the engaging surfaces of said rod and rocker arm.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of valve operating means comprising a ball, and a push rod provided with a bearlng having a socket engaging said ball, a lubricant chamber communicating through -nected theret said socket with said ball, an inlet'to said chamber, and a sleeve movable on said rod for controlling said opening, said rod having a peripheral channel and said sleeve having resilient sections provided with means for engaging said channel to hold said sleeve in position over said inlet.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of Valve operating means comprising a ball, and a push rod provided with a bearing comprising a socket for said ball, a tubular bod;

rough with the joint formed by said ball and socket, said body adapted for delivering a lubricant therefrom to said joint and having an inlet for said lubricant and a dierential sleeve movableon said bearin and body to cover said inlet, said sleeve avin means for holding it in position over sai inlet.

Signed at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, this 28th day of Januar 1922.

A SLEY H. FOX.

fixed to said bearing and con- 

